1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to rechargeable batteries and, more particularly, to rechargeable batteries with high voltage and a large capacity.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery can be charged and discharged, unlike a primary battery. The rechargeable battery can repeatedly perform charge and discharge processes. In a charge process, electrical energy may be transformed into chemical energy and stored. In a discharge process, the stored chemical energy may be transformed into electrical energy.
Examples of rechargeable batteries may include nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries and so on. Rechargeable batteries having relatively low capacity may be used in small portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and camcorders. High capacity rechargeable batteries may be used to provide power for driving motors (e.g., motors of hybrid vehicles), storing electric power, and the like.
Particularly, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have been actively developed, so demands on the high-voltage rechargeable batteries and large-capacity rechargeable batteries have been recently increased.
Large electrode assemblies may be are manufactured so as to manufacture high-voltage rechargeable batteries and/or large-capacity rechargeable batteries. However, high-voltage rechargeable batteries and large-capacity rechargeable batteries commonly exhibit productivity deterioration compared to low-capacity rechargeable batteries because they are manufactured using a relatively complicated manufacturing process. Accordingly, development of high-voltage rechargeable batteries and large-capacity rechargeable batteries that can be configured with simple structures is desirable.
The above information disclosed in this Background section may be for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that may be already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.